Rude awakening
by Rowe1
Summary: Sometimes a person needs to be hit over the head to wake them up - Complete
1. One step forward

****

Rude Awakening: 

by Rowe

Set: Post Hello, Goodbye.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its character belong to Cameron/Eglee and Fox. 

Author's note: First attempt so please feel free to give constructive criticism.

Chapter 1: One step forward…….. Max finds out her heart has been keeping a secret from her. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

Max sat with her head slumped in her hands. For the past three hours she'd been trying to figure it all out. The Space Needle was usually a good place for that- let you rise above the problem, helped you place it all in perspective. Not tonight though. She knew she had a monster headache coming on. 

Finally, giving up on the idea of some inner peace, she headed home. She'd avoided the scene at Crash for the night knowing Logan would be there, looking for her, expecting of her. What did he expect? It was simply not going to happen for them. Sometime soon they were going to have to face it. She didn't have the energy left to hope anymore. Funny thing was she wasn't too sure that it mattered that much to her either. The biggest problem was making him see it too. He was making her claustrophobic with his over attention. He seemed to be trying to compensate for the lack of physical connection by demanding a constant mental one- it was getting to be exhausting.

As she pulled up outside her building, she could feel a presence in the shadows. Funny she always knew when he was around. Some strange connection always seemed to send a silent alarm to her brain. Her body always seemed to go on high alert, moving ready for fight or flight. The adrenalin surge was actually pretty heady, and she found her reasoning power always seemed to diminish and the most stupid things came out of her mouth. She chose to deliberately ignore him. So, was he stalking her as well now? 

"Max?" He queried as he moved forward out of the shadows. She locked her bike up and slowly turned around. That threatening headache was in full swing now and she wasn't up to his inane chatter.

"I'm tired Alec, what do you want?" As Max looked up, she was startled to see something painful in his eyes that was quickly shuttered away. In its place was the emotionally "I'm always alright" facade that she was used to seeing. She looked at him searchingly. Realising how harsh she had sounded she relented with a sigh and gestured towards her apartment "Look do you want to come up, is something wrong?" He nodded.

As they moved into the building she could feel him tense behind her. What had gotten into him tonight? Something had him seriously spooked and in turn he was making her even more jumpy than usual. He wasn't even his normal yappy self and that was probably the most telling sign. Opening the apartment door she noted that OC wasn't in yet. Probably busy with the honeys again tonight. Busy, busy girl. It was a bit of a relief though. It gave her chance to sort Alec out and with the whole Manticore-not-keen-on-emotions-shit it was going to be the kind of extraction that would be much easier without an audience.

"So where have you been Max?" Alec broke the silence as Max crossed to the kitchen to get them something to drink. "WE missed you at Crash. Logan didn't believe me when I said I didn't know where you were. Seemed to think I was deliberately hiding it from him." Alec moved so he could see her face. "So why am I all of a sudden the Max-keeper?" 

Max ducked her head to avoid making eye contact. He didn't know about her little subterfuge. He was her last line of defence against Logan's constant need to keep them together. Damn if she didn't feel twinges of guilt at using him like this. She had rationalised that he owed her for causing the tension to start with. Logan and her would have been fine without this damn virus. "_Except you aren't as disappointed as you should be that Logan is untouchable_" a small voice at the back of her mind whispered. As always she chose to ignore that and get herself out of the awkward situation by a personal attack. "Like I need a keeper." She snarled. "He probably just thinks you knew where I was as you always seem to be stalking me." She turned to him hands on hips daring him to delve any further.

Instead a scowl crossed his face and he stood abruptly and moved towards the door silently. Max faltered in her stance, as she immediately regretted being a bitch for the millionth time. As his hand grasped the door handle and began to turn it Max got out, "Stop, Alec." The tone of her voice caused him to pivot around. "Wait, I need to tell you the truth, just promise you won't hate me." She dropped her eyes to the ground as she whispered the last bit. He opened his mouth to say something, most likely one of the smart remarks that had earned him his name, but seemed to think better of it and nodded slightly to her. Now she just had to work out how to tell him without losing him as a friend.

He stood patiently by the door, obviously she still had to convince him that she didn't want him to go. "Alec" she started hesitantly looking at his chest to avoid too close scrutiny, "I may have let Logan believe something that isn't true." Contrary to popular belief she wasn't feeling relief at getting this off her chest. It felt more like dread. She hazarded a glimpse at his face, which was far from happy. She took a deep breath and plunged on. "It's just that I don't know why anyone would believe that you and me… well would, hook up. I am always such a bitch to you, and hell you just bring out a rather violent side in me." She stammered to a halt. She didn't want to confess to him just how much he unsettled her. He was angry, she could see that, but then something seemed to click within him and his body seemed to relax a little.

"Well maybe it isn't so far-fetched Max." His lips quirked. "Maybe we could give him something that would really make him leave you alone." The patented Alec smirk now firmly in place. "If I am going to be hung out to dry might as well be for something I have actually done. Max?….." His eyes were sparkling at her now, their color slowly changing from green to hazel and back. It would be so easy to get lost in those eyes. He steadily stalked towards her, looking like the big cat he was, holding her mesmerised by his eyes. His voice sent a shiver down her spine as the growl that passed for her name left his lips, lips her eyes were now fixated on as they headed towards her own.

Her lips parted as his gently caressed them. Her brain shutdown at the sensory overload. Why had she always fought it? This incredible chemistry had been there from the moment he walked into her cell at Manticore. She had been more than a little confused by his looking like Ben, she had never felt like this about her brother. She had tried to cling to her outside life to keep out Manticore. Alec had always been a danger. A danger that at this moment she couldn't remember why she should be avoiding. But Logan had been safe. She knew Logan loved her and before her trip back to Manticore (and ironically to Alec) she had thought she felt the same way. The chemistry between them had been slow developing and it had been more on an intellectual level. This with Alec was blowing her mind; he was very much her equal on so many levels. They could run a power plant on the electricity that was zapping between them. She had been in denial for so long and clinging to a guilt-fired fairytale.

Her mind kicked in and with it her traitorous mouth. "So now you are going to play games with me to get revenge?" she tried to push him back but his arms held her firmly. Her sense of self-preservation meant she had to reject him first. "No Max, maybe this is just the opportunity I have been waiting for so that you would let me in and give me a chance." The look of honesty on his face rocked her leaving her silent. "Have you thought maybe I have wanted an excuse to kiss you? To show you how I knew it could be between us." He smiled wryly at her. He gathered her closer in his arms so they were touching from head to toe and continued, "Can't you feel how strong this is between us- you may curse them but Manticore did something right. They made us for one another."

She moved back a little so she could look at his face again. "Alec, why are you doing this- how can you want me after all the things I've done and the way I have treated you?" He growled softly in the back of his throat and nuzzled her hair. His possessiveness not shown through aggression but through the gentle intimacy of his caress. Somewhere in the course of the last few precious moments she had finally realized that they had always been destined to become lovers, but somewhere along that rocky road they had also become friends. He may have been a genetically engineered soldier but it surprised her that he had managed to perfect being both a lover and a fighter.

"Wake up Max…" his hands on her shoulders gently shook her.

__

"I have always loved you." He stared intently at her.

"Wake up Max…" his palm caressed her face.

__

"Why do you think I am always there, I will never let you fall"

"Wake up Max"- his voice was becoming more insistent

__

"Stop living in the fairytale what is between us has always been the reality."

He moved warily away from her as she finally woke. Field med training had instilled the need to keep the patient calm and quiet. He knew once she woke that she would want to kick his ass, so by moving away he hoped to remove the temptation for the moment. Sparks were always going to fly between them. It was important that they kept moving soon, White and his men were too near for them to relax. This time it really was his fault the mission had gone sideways. It had been a really close call- too close for comfort. Into the bargain she had gotten herself seriously hurt. 

As her eyes blinked open, Alec expected to see anger or frustration on her face. Instead there was only confusion, pain and a hint of disappointment. Struggling to raise herself Max croaked out through her dry parched throat" What.., Where.. Why?" then she saw him and answered herself with one whispered word that gave him shivers. 

"Alec."


	2. And two steps back

****

Rude Awakening: 

by Rowe

Set: Post Hello, Goodbye.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its character belong to Cameron/Eglee and Fox. 

Author's note: First attempt so please feel free to give constructive criticism.

Thankyou to those who have reviewed, it is nice to hear something back from the Void. ****

Chapter 2: And two steps back. 

_________________________________________________________________

"_Well at least I know she doesn't have total amnesia_." Alec thought, still concerned by her disorientation. He had been more than a bit worried about her, head traumas were always a bit dodgy. She had been hit pretty hard and lost a fair bit of blood in the process. "Hey Maxie, how you feeling?" He approached her slowly, still not trusting her not to resort to violence. The stunned deer look was fading and the true Max sneer of attitude was slipping back into place. "_That's my girl_!" he smiled, relieved that she seemed to be reverting to form.

Her head was killing her. She realised that they seemed to be in some sort of dingy room, but she couldn't for the life-of-her remember where or how they got there. Come to think of it she couldn't remember much and it felt like her head was split in two. She lifted her hand to her head and felt cloth_. "Great, now I am doing the turban look."_ The fogginess wasn't let her think too clearly. She licked her parched lips and Alec moved immediately towards her with a glass of water. "Thanks" she rasped out and started slowly sipping.

Alec could see the questions starting to form in her eyes. He knew that now he was going to have to tell her what a fool he'd been. How he had endangered her life with his own stupidity. _"Damn, she didn't need any more confirmation that I'm an idiot"_ he mentally cursed himself. Moving forward once more to relieve her of the glass, and to fill in time so he could avoid her obvious queries, he berated himself again for his cowardice. _"Suck it up soldier, you should never show your enemies your fear"_. Max wasn't exactly the enemy, but he just didn't want to see contempt for him in her eyes.

White! It was always White. Dogging their heels and threatening their lives. This time he had almost succeeded too. Though more through his own recklessness. _"Can't afford to be careless too often or you'll wind up dead, Alec."_ He winced at the thought. _"Or you'll get someone else killed"_ a small voice added. A voice he had come to hate cause it was always the bearer of bad news and truths he would rather avoid.

Max was watching him expectantly. "We completed the grab and tried to escape but there was a cave-in." He plunged into an edited version of the events that lead them to be holed up in the backroom of an abandoned apothecary. He could tell her the details when she was well enough to kick his ass. Well at least that was what he had almost convinced himself was the right thing to do. "Sorry Max, you've been out of it for about 6 hours. I lugged you here to hole up while I stabilised you." He thanked his lucky stars that he had been able to staunch the bleeding before moving her or they would have left a blood-trail for White to follow to their doorstep. "You managed to get struck by the roof beams. You took it pretty hard: I had to put stitches in. Conveniently they has supplies aplenty so I managed to do a pretty neat job." She was looking a little shell-shocked so he decided to push her buttons a bit to snap her back. "Luckily it hit your head so the damage isn't likely to be noticed." He tried to lighten the mood. Max just grimaced at him. "I didn't want to give you anything for the pain till you had woken up so I could assess you cognitive ability. What can you remember?" he crouched beside the bed. 

Max screwed her face up and tried to remember. The concern etched on Alec's face unsettled her nearly as much as his proximity. This was a softer side of Alec she was not ready to deal with due to the fuzzy images dancing through her head. She began hesitantly, confused by the things she could remember. "I was sitting on the Space Needle with a splitting headache and had decided that I should go home. Next thing.." she stopped and looked closely at Alec, then blurted out unconvincingly. "I was here." She waved her hands gesturing at the room. The painkillers were starting to kick in and her body's accelerated healing powers had dealt with the worst of the dizziness and disorientation. 

Alec could tell there was more she was reluctant to reveal. He had his suspicions that from how she had woken up it had involved him. He would've given his left pinkie for her to say his name just once like she had then and actually mean it. "Ah Max, you haven't been near the space needle for a couple of weeks. We've been too busy playing cloak and dagger". Alec wasn't going to push too hard just yet. "Must have been some sort of dream you had while you were unconscious. You know putting yourself into familiar surroundings."

Max's face fell. That meant it had all been an apparition. She wasn't too sure if that was good or bad. It had finally happened, Alec had succeeded where Manticore had failed. He had driven her insane. How else could she explain ending up willingly in Alec arms. It also meant she would still have to deal with Logan- "_and tell Alec about his little role in my angst-ridden drama of a life."_ The thought popped out as she tried to stifle it.

"Are you feeling up to getting going? Need to put some distance between us and the bad guys." Alec's voice cut through Max's internal reflection. Time was short and they really couldn't delay much longer. He had managed to get her far enough away to give them a little breathing space but there was no telling how soon White would tumble to where they were. He saw her nod and a look of resolve cross her face. God he loved her fighting spirit.

With more bravado than she was feeling, Max stood and headed for the door. She knew that the spinning room wasn't a good sign. However she kept on going. Manticore had built them tough. She wasn't going to let a little concussion keep her trapped with too many unanswered questions when she could be out kicking ass and ignoring her inner turmoil. 

……………………………………………………………………………….

"So what was your dream about Max?" His feline curiosity was getting the better of him. He had lasted a whole ten minutes since they had started out. He knew cause he had been counting them. " Did you know I heard somewhere that a dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep?" He continued conversationally. "Or it can be your subconscious trying to work out your innermost turmoil. So what's troubling you now Max?" She stopped just a little to quickly at that, and Alec ran into her. She jumped back from the contact as if she had been burnt. Alec raised his eyebrows at her reaction. He, for once, chose wisely not to comment.

"Drop it Alec. It was just a stupid dream." Max was panicking as he had unwittingly hit so close to home. It just made her want to snarl harder at him. "What are you, some pop-cultural reference book or pop-psychologists or something?" It really was amazing how quickly he had assimilated into the outside world. Picking up jargon and the culture far quicker than she had. Hell he seemed to be a font of information that she still had to learn. She really never gave him credit for the things he actually did right. Not that she was going to tell him that. _"Got to stop thinking happy thoughts about Alec"_ her mind admonished her. She turned a bit unsteadily and strode off again. Alec followed along behind her, continuing to ponder out aloud how dreams could be interpreted_. "God he can yap."_ her mind complained. _"But you love his inane chatter"_ a more calm voice noted sagely. The insanity was just getting worse. Her mind started a calming mantra to help her cope. _"God I hate Alec. God I hate Alec."_ Max heaved a sigh of relief; that seemed to be working.

Her beeper, a bit the worse for wear from the cave in, decided at that time to go off. Resisting the urge to just throw it away, she checked the number. Who else could it be but Logan. She was so not ready to deal with him at the moment. She wasn't sure who she felt like killing more, Alec for being irritatingly accurate or Logan for just breathing. This was turning into one hell of a day. She still had a splitting headache and it wasn't going to take much more to trigger some relaxing violence in her.


	3. Like musical chairs

Rude Awakening: 

by Rowe

Set: Post Hello, Goodbye.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its character belong to Cameron/Eglee and Fox. 

Author's note: First attempt so please feel free to give constructive criticism.

Thankyou to those who have reviewed, encouragement is an inspiration in itself. 

Chapter 3: Like Musical Chairs……

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For the tenth time in the past half-hour the beeper went off. Each time Max had stopped her stalking, looked at the number, and let out an aggravated sigh. Shoving the beeper back on her waistband she would then resume her stride. The pattern was getting a bit repetitious. Not that Alec wasn't appreciating the view he had as he followed along behind her, but her mumbling curses were giving him the impression she was mighty pissed off. Thing was he wasn't sure what he'd done now. "Max, just an observation but could you either talk to the man or turn the damn thing off." At least he could get rid of that irritation.

She knew he was right. _"Since when was Alec right about anything."_ This mental battle was beginning to wear her down. Due to her distraction she missed seeing the pothole in her path and ended up flat on her face. God was this day ever going to end. In an instant Alec was by her side crouched checking that she was alright. He took hold of her arms to help her up. In a fit of pique Max shrugged his hands off her and scrambled up. "Get your goddamn hands off me. I'm not an invalid!." Her mouth spat out, while in counterpoint her mind buzzed away happily thinking _"How sweet."_ That scary little voice whispered_, "Just how conflicted am I?" _Alec had moved back to a respectful distance. He probably thought of it more as a safe one. " I need food." she stated simply. Turning she resumed their trek, now with the purpose to feed a hungry Max, to the tuneless sound of her beeper again.

Alec popped the coins in and dialled the number. Max was busy pouting her way around the convenience store they had found. She had refused to call Logan, so he was doing the right thing. Maybe it would stop him peppering her damn beeper and give everyone a rest. He watched her as she primped in the mirrored door of the microwave while the food heated. For a trained soldier she could be so girlie at times. "Logan, Alec here." He spoke up as the message on the answering machine finished and the beep to start recording went. "We're fine, Max was laid up for a bit so we were laying low to give her time to recover. We'll be back in the next 12 hours, all things going to plan." Placing the phone down he realised what he had just said. _"Damn." _he thought, _"Wish I hadn't said that last bit, now I've jinxed us for sure."_

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Sir." The suit clad man turned to his superior to inform him of his update. "A call was just registered from a payphone in the vicinity of the their last known position. The number dialled was one of the ones we have been tracing in regard to those Eyes Only broadcasts." The cruel looking man nodded satisfied and gave the order to converge quickly. Now he needed to tighten the noose around the necks of his not-so-favourite transgenic scum. Why get his hands dirty when he had highly trained killers of his own to work with? He strode to his car to be on-hand. This was what he was bred for, what he lived for. His cell rang and he answered it "Fe'nos tol" assuring the caller that the situation was developing nicely.

It was his personal mission to capture 452 alive at all costs. That stupid transgenic bitch had taken his son away from him, and he wanted Ray back. He was going to enjoy the process of extracting that nugget of information out of her. The Conclave could have the body after he had finish delving through her mind. He would like to test just how high the pain threshold of the Manticore mutants was and torturing 452 might be just the way to find out. Her continued existence alone was damaging his credibility with the Conclave. He was supposed to deal with those sorts of problems: quickly, cleanly and efficiently. From the time her DNA assay results had landed on his desk she had been reeking havoc with his plans. If she and that damn breeding partner of hers hadn't destroyed the satellite uplink they could've dealt with the Manticore mess without it getting so messy. Now that there were politician s publicly involved it just wasn't going to be pleasant. 

The Alpha team reported in from the origin of the phonecall; the convenience store. "Positive ID was gained from the attendant, Sir, but they left about 20 minutes ago. They were on foot." White smiled to himself grimly. Ever closer. He wasn't going to get too excited yet. They had been close before. In fact that wily 494 had managed to slip through their fingers and defy death even after he had literally held him like a caged animal. Such slips ups were not allowed. There needed to be no holes in the net that these two lab rats were caught in. He wasn't fooled by 494's flippant remark about a summer fling, these two were a breeding pair of a soon to be instinct line of animals: animals with a keen instinct for survival. Where one was the other was never too far behind. Their DNA would be important in the destruction of the transgenic menace. Manticore weren't the only ones who could play at gene warfare, hell they were babies compared to the breeding program.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sitting against the wall of an abandoned schoolhouse, they consumed the microwaved mush that barely passed as edible. The "food" seemed to have revived Max's spirits. The blood loss was obviously still taking its toll but she wasn't holding up too badly considering. He watched her surreptitiously through his lashes, even now all down and dirty she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He'd be damned if he let her know that. He was a masochist but that was taking things too far. The sound of heavily booted feet snapped Alec out of his revelry. He peered cautiously round the end of the wall and saw what he knew could only be White's goons. "Damn." He muttered and turned to alert Max.

Max signed for him to follow her and they moved around the building looking for an open window. Out of luck on one side they cautiously moved to the next. As long as they weren't seen they had a fighting chance of evading capture. The last window on this side slid open. With a sigh of relief Max climbed through and Alec slithered in after her. Both began instantaneously to scan their surroundings for cover. There wasn't much around and most of it was too obvious if the Familiars came searching. Max looked up and spotted a small man hole cover partially obscured in the corner. "Quick, up there Alec" she indicated the spot and he moved to shove the cover aside so they could seek shelter. None too soon, as the cover dropped back into place they could hear footstep in the room below.

The small area they squeezed into in the ceiling was barely able to accommodate them both. They were lying squeezed together so tightly that Max could hear every beat of Alec strong heart. Feel every breath he took. Smell the smell she knew was uniquely him. Leaning her head against his back she saw no harm inhaling a little deeper and Alec invaded her senses. A small moan escaped her as the rush of sensations overwhelmed her. This was not good. _"Focus Max."_ She reprimanded herself. But then had to remind herself that Alec was not what she should be focusing on. 

The small noises coming from Max intrigued Alec. If he didn't know better he would have sworn she was deliberately pushing against him. "Um Max, you okay back there. Do you need more room?" He was actually finding it kind of cramped but he wasn't silly enough to complain if a pretty girl was voluntarily rubbing herself against him. Anyway this was Max and they had been trapped in closets and confined spaces on a regular basis_. "At least this way she can't complain about where I am putting my hands." _He thought absently and immediately regretted it. This just made him want to do things with his hands, and his mind was happily filling in the blanks for him. He wasn't a monk and this was a real exercise in willpower. 

Being stuck here for so long was starting to bite. She was sure it had been at least 6 hours but they could still hear voices in the room below. Trust them to set up a base in the same place that harboured their quarry. Her luck, for some reason, was always bad. Her conscience was also starting to grate on her. Alec was starting to do his normal fidget thing, which meant she was getting elbows in the ribs on an almost constant basis. "Alec can you stop that or at least turn around so you don't keep hitting me." She complained, she already had enough sore spots from the cave-in without him poking them. As he wiggled his way round to face her she realised that it had been safer the other way. At least snuggled against his back she didn't have to face his all too observant eyes. .

"So Max, how are you and Logan going?" Some days he liked to live dangerously and his curiosity was peaked by her avoiding talking to the man. He knew she had been adamant that she wouldn't see him after the latest virus scare, but this was Max and Logan the soap-opera. He had provided Max with an opening so in this intimate moment she needed to share. Whispering at a level that only they would hear Max plunged right in on the topic she knew she could no longer avoid. "Alec don't be angry but Logan thinks you and I are together, that is why he has been treating you strangely." Finally she had gotten it out. She studied his face to gauge his reaction. The look on his face was ominous.

"Just why would he think a thing like that Max. Of course I am always the bad guy." He ground out, he was angry she could see that. "You chose not to enlighten him I take it. I guess it was much too convenient to have me as your housetrained Clayton's boyfriend to keep him at arms' length. Of course, your and his opinion of me as the type of low life scum who would move in on his girlfriend probably helped". Her lack of denial wound him up further she could feel his body vibrating with the agitation. Then all of a sudden calmness seemed to wash over him and a frozen mask drew down over his face.

The coldness emanating from Alec was frightening her. She knew 494 still resided in him. Hell she had less training and had been out longer but she could always still feel X5-452 niggling at her, making some of the tough decisions for her. She had rarely caught glimpses of this hard-eyed stranger but could understand why many would fear facing him battle. Max was getting worried being stuck in such a confined space with him at this moment. She knew she needed to reach out to him, to pull him back out of this automatic soldier mode but self-preservation was making her hesitate.

"Alec, I don't think of you as scum." She whispered. 

"No, you'd rather not think of me at all." He countered coldly. Strike one.

"Alec," again she deliberately used her name for him, "I may have said some things I didn't mean but…."

"You think that I am a cold scheming unfeeling bastard who would sell his grandma, if I had one, for a buck." Strike Two. She felt the chill in his voice creating despair in her soul. 

"Maybe I am not sure what I think. Why do you think Logan thought we were together? He thinks I am attracted to you!" She shoved out the olive branch and hoped she could pull him back to himself, the lovable and irritating X5 rogue.


	4. When the music stops

Rude Awakening: 

by Rowe

Set: Post Hello, Goodbye.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its character belong to Cameron/Eglee and Fox. 

Author's note: First attempt so please feel free to give constructive criticism.

My muse thanks those that keep giving me encouragement, she's shy but eager to please.. 

Chapter 4: When the music stops ……

______________________________________________________________________________

"Then, Sweet Heart," the sarcasm in Alec's voice scared her a little," you had better have something to really confuse you." In the confines of the ceiling she couldn't move away. He grabbed her arms roughly and ground his mouth hard down on hers. She could feel his anger and frustration bubbling underneath it all. And something else too. He was sending all his pent up emotions into the kiss. Max was relieved. At least this was better than him withdrawing them into himself like moments before. Somewhere along the line the kiss changed from angry punishment to light caress. The feel of him in reality felt even better than she had dreamt. Obviously in the past her senses had never experienced a benchmark to equal the power of Alec. His gentleness was in stark contrast to the rough beginning, this is more what she remembered. _"Or fantasised about."_ her mind corrected.

__

"He has the softest lips." Max focused on the incredibly sensual feel of his lips massaging hers. She sighed into his mouth as she let his tongue enter and explore. This was like heaven should be, with a warm fuzzy feeling swelling through her body, Max wanted more. Her hands decided a little exploration was in order. She slid them up his chest and over his shoulders so she could hold his delicious mouth to hers. The hair at the back of his neck was slipping silkily through her fingers. She traced his neck where she knew his barcode was- somehow feeling the need to sensually acknowledge who he was. His answering shiver brought a grin to her lips, this was obviously an erogenous zone to be tantalised. She filed this away for later examination.

His hands slid under the hem of her top. The skin his fingers encountered was warm and satiny. It invited further investigation. He stroked his hands up her back bringing her in even harder against his body. Mutual agreement to this arrangement was confirmed as both let escape sensual moans of enjoyment. He moved his lips to her neck and nibbled his teeth along the pulse point. Her moaned response, his name drifting of her lips in ecstasy, was nearly his undoing. As was the heady scent of her arousal. His hand caressed down her sides wanting to do much more but constrained by the tight circumstances. She had somehow managed to tangle her legs seductively around his and was moving them sensually up the insides of his thighs.

As Max ground her body against him and sunk her teeth into his neck, Alec's head cracked back into the wall behind him. The pain brought with it a moment of unwanted clarity. Realisation as to how far out-of-hand this could quickly get slammed into him. He moved his hands out from under her shirt and grasped her arms to her sides. Holding her as far away from him as possible, he tried to calm his breathing. What the hell had just happened and why now of all times? He could hazard a guess that for him when the soldier persona had retreated his emotional control was down, but what was her excuse?

"Max, what the hell are we doing?" Alec's miffed expression brought Max slamming back to reality. The chill of his body being away from her and his rejection of her advance confused her. Her instincts screamed at her to get closer to him. Like a glass of ice water thrown in her face, Alec continued on. "What about Logan, this is unfair to him? We can't do this." Alec's comment brought guilt to the surface, for using him and for doubting him. She herself hadn't even thought about her pseudo-boyfriend, the man she was supposed to be madly in love with. The man she was now very irritated with for making Alec stop what he had been doing. Alec listened below. Finally, the silence signalled they were able to move. Space seemed a major priority if sanity was ever going to get a chance to prevail. Especially as Max was indicating her displeasure with a pout.

Max kept the pout firmly in place for the rest of the journey home. She had her answer, they were like combustible chemicals together, it would be so easy to get burnt. Their feet hitting concrete and the roar of the Ninja's engine were the only sounds that had broken the silence. The ride had been awkward to say the least. Alec held himself tensely away from her body. The line that had been invisible till now had been most determinedly crossed, and neither knew how to deal with that.

______________________________________________________________________________

"Sir, they have combed the area several times." The NSA agent was painfully aware that his superior wasn't happy and he hated having to bear bad news. "It appears that they may have slipped out before we cordoned it off. What would you like us to do?" White sneered at the man. He knew it wasn't his fault but he had to get his anger out somehow. "How did this end up happening? Who were the incompetent fools?" He demanded. "You might as well call of the search it has been 6 hours since they were last sighted, they are probably long gone and laughing at your stupidity." He dismissed the man abruptly and strode to his car. He needed to get away from here before he totally lost it. How many times would this keep happening?

White marched into his office fuming. He slammed the door shut to hide him from the too observant onlookers- he was sure the Conclave had spies. The briefcase being flung across his office didn't relieve his frustration. Neither did the smashing of the coffee mug sitting innocently on his desk. Harry Houdini would've been proud of these two transgenics. He growled out his anger at another failure. The Conclave would not be happy to see he was losing it and kept losing them. Time to plan on a new strategy for the next time. They were close to nabbing this Eyes Only freak and that could be the key to this whole problem. Why did something that appeared to be so simple keep getting more complicated? 

______________________________________________________________________________

Max was trying to focus on what Logan was saying. Something about the next mission and a new way to save the world. God, he just babbled at times. So caught up in his own importance. Alec yapped, but he was always way too perceptive of how she was feeling. She focused back on Logan, who seemed oblivious to the fact that she wasn't even listening. Drifting back off into her own little world again, she remembered the feel of Alec lips on hers, only to find Logan's face mere inches in front of her. Startled she jumped back. It wasn't the fear of him catching the virus that sprang first to her mind, it was the anger at the invasion of space. Logan got straight back up on his soapbox when he was sure he had regained her attention. 

Alec strode purposefully into Crash. He knew she was here. Actually, he knew they were here. Time to put an end to the subterfuge. If the cards were on the table, then maybe they could get out of this dangerous little cul-de-sac they were trapped in at the moment. Having tasted her was slowly driving him insane. Touching the silkiness of her skin had only fired his imagination further. Naked Max writhing in ecstasy under him being his favourite image. His mind took the scenic route as he wove towards the table at which they were sat.

She saw him the moment he entered the room. It felt silly, but she could feel her heartbeat increasing and a rush of anticipation as he approached. Being so aware of him was almost painful. She had such an itch, but after their last encounter she knew she wouldn't get to scratch it. The frustration she knew was going to make her testy. That was, along with the irritation she had been building up with the droning Logan. She stood as he drew near, hands on hips ready for a pre-emptive strike. The smart comment dying on her lips.

Alec stared straight at her. He refused to let his eyes move down over her body as they were aching to do. He needed to keep his mind in the game. "Max, we need to talk, all of us." He shifted his focus to include Logan. "I can't play your stooge any more. Sort it out between you if there is anything there to save, because my heart can't take the battering it is receiving here." He looked at Max with an intensity that caused her breath to catch. "You have no idea what the other day meant to me but this can't go on. We can't be around one another, okay." He turned on his heel, he needed to get out of there before he told her too much. Before he blurted out to the whole world that he was in love with her. He was nearly at a run by the time he exited Crash_. "Coward."_ that little voice screamed at him, as he didn't stop till he was safely home.

The tense voices had attracted attention from the corner near the pool table. Original Cindy shook her curls in bemusement_, " This storm has been brewing for a while. I am just not too sure there are going to be any survivors."_ Her companions stopped their game as they saw Max's shoulders slump as both Alec and Logan chose to storm out in opposite directions. She was left standing with a look of utter defeat on her face. Cindy knew it was time to go to the rescue and moved on over to her Boo to sort her out. She could see the situation was not good by the tears streaming down Max's face.

"They have both rejected me." Max dramatically circled her arms in the air to indicate the lack of Logan and Alec. As she related the tale, Original Cindy pursed her lips and shook her head at her friend. "You know honey, you really have to come correct on this. No one can make you do anything you don't want but playing them off this way just ain't fair." Max looked stricken at her. "And no, you ain't dragging Cindy into this mess you've made. I care about your boy as well remember." Max didn't even try to reject the your boy tag. Alec had made it pretty clear where he stood. Now she just needed to work out where she fitted in. Cindy hugged Max and rubbed her back. At least the crying had subsided. "I need to blaze, I need air" Max snuffled to Cindy who nodded back at her. Dejectedly she slumped out of Crash- fresh air and her bike would be the best cure for this.

Joshua watched Max as she paced back and forth. She wasn't making much sense to him- probably wasn't making too much sense to herself, as she worked herself into an agitated frenzy.She had turned up upset about being left by both Logan and Alec. He could understand the Logan bit, but how could Alec leave her? He knew Alec adored her, but she was always so focused on curing the virus to be with Logan. Women were just confusing sometimes. 

Max had stopped her pacing and was hugging her arms tightly around herself. "What am I to do? I love them both, Josh!" The realisation had obviously not been a pleasant one as the crying was getting worse again. He knew what the solution was but she wasn't going to like it. The romantic in him desired a happy ending but he was worried that this might be too much to hope for. He could only set her on the path. She had to decide where it led.

"Little Fella, you are going to lose both of them if you can't make the decision." He came up and put his arms around her. He hated seeing her like this.

"Who does your heart say is the one." 


	5. Someone misses out!

****

Rude Awakening: 

by Rowe

Set: Post Hello, Goodbye.

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its character belong to Cameron/Eglee and Fox. 

Author's note: First attempt so please feel free to give constructive criticism.

Final chapter!!

The muse has new projects to help me dream up. 

Reviews have been greatly cherished. 

Thankyou for your kind words and encouragement. 

And to my beta for the last chapter (a M/L purist but I hope to convert), Lise thanks!!

Chapter 5: Someone misses out! 

______________________________________________________________________________

Crying wasn't going to get her anywhere. She knew that, but that didn't mean she could stop. She had left Joshua's and somehow made it home to her apartment. Her pillow was soaked and she felt like crap. How the hell did she manage to get herself into these messes? For once she had no one else to blame but herself for this rude awakening from her little fantasy world. She hated being backed into a corner. What Alec had done really angered her. His reasons were clear. He cared too much to be a pawn in someone else's game. Now she had to make a decision. _"What decision is there really to make?" _That annoying little voice twittered away in her head. She was getting really good at ignoring it but unfortunately that didn't make it go away. To make matters worse her friends were all buying right out of it; they didn't want to take sides. She admired their loyalty but she needed help. 

Joshua was right. They all were. She had to risk it all cause there was no longer any alternative. Scary part was she was pretty sure she had never risked her heart before. No matter what she did someone was going to lose. Damn, she hated it when she knew she was going to have to shatter someone's hopes and dreams. Her natural impulse to run was still there, but this time she would start to grow up and take responsibility. Now she just had to work out a strategy to accomplish what she needed to. First things first, she needed to get a shower cause she smelled pretty rank. She loved Josh, but he had the whole canine odour that with too many hugs could rub off on you.

The shower refreshed her. Getting dressed and making an impromptu visit to the Needle seemed the best solution. Battle plans needed to be drawn. She needed to get her head on straight. Thinking space was in order. Food was first on the agenda, a girl couldn't think on empty stomach, especially a transgenic with a souped up metabolism. Feeling better for at least stopping crying and having eaten, she headed out the door. Now to work out what she was going to do to fix things. Crying obviously wasn't the solution, more a delay tactic.

Alec was glad Max hadn't made it to work today. He wasn't too sure when he would be able to face her, and she was probably really disappointed in him for ruining the whole distance thing with Logan. Sure under pressure she hadn't minded a little grope in the ceiling but this was Max, Queen of Angst. She loved Logan, even if she kept telling him they weren't like that. Her bitter disappointment at the failed cure had shown him that. She always reminded him of how she could never forgive him for costing her the chance at happiness.

Original Cindy had looked in on her Boo before leaving for work. The poor girl was still crying. Her face was a mess. This thing was really killing her but it had to be dealt with. Too much time had been spent pussyfooting around. Cindy had seen how Alec looked at Max when she wasn't looking, but as a friend he had respectfully kept his distance. The looks of envy Logan received from him were carefully concealed. She had to admire him for being so restrained. This triangle was definitely going to lose a corner, but not before time. Only problem was how was Max going to sort it out. 

Alec's cell rang as he rode back in from a run late afternoon. Pulling his bike up he reached for his phone and flipped it open. "Meet me at Crash tonight, 9 sharp." The phone went dead before he could get a chance to tell her that they were supposed to stay away from each other. He hadn't even got a word in at all. Thing was she had aroused his curiosity. He wanted to know what she had to say about his outburst last night. Well it looked like he would need to be at Crash to find out.

Logan heard his phone go in the other room. He didn't feel like talking to anyone just at the minute. Max had lied to him, she had let him believe she was with Alec. He wasn't too sure what was worse, thinking that she didn't want to be with him cause of Alec, or that she didn't want to be with him cause she'd given up. The machine picked up and he could hear her voice. "Logan, it's Max. Be at Crash, 9 sharp, Okay." Damn, he couldn't contact her to make an excuse cause she'd left her beeper with him for repair after the last mission. Well it looked like he'd have to face her. He wasn't too sure how well it would go. Something Alec had said niggled. What had happened the other day?

Max decided she was going to go down fighting. She was going to make sure they realised just who they were dealing with. No more playing the victim. Dressed to kill, or to at least give a normal red-blooded man a heart attack, she strode out of the apartment. Time for battle. Her thoughts were still tumultuous but she was pretty sure she knew her script. She was deliberately going to be late to make them both squirm in anticipation of the confrontation and give Cindy the chance to deliver her note. Now she had made her decision it was all so much more fun. Not fun that someone would be hurt, but that she knew for the first time she was really in love. That she was actually taking charge of her destiny.

Crash was pretty busy when the two men arrived. Both eyed one another warily from opposite sides of the room. Alec was surprised because he had never before seen Logan treat him so openly as a rival, for once he appeared to be taking him seriously. Maybe he was back in the game. He took a seat at the bar and turned his back on the man. Manticore had given him the edge on psyching out your opponent. If he was nonchalant, Logan would just end up more agitated. This was fun, an unexpected side-effect of his outburst last night. He didn't hate the guy, but he wasn't above messing with his head.

Her entrance was spectacular. Logan's jaw dropped at the outfit but she didn't even appear to acknowledge him. Her eyes were glued to the back of the transgenic at the bar: her breeding partner. In horror, he watched her approach him. He moved closer, needing to hear what was said. Slithering up close behind Alec's chair she purred seductively. "Missed me, Pretty Boy?" She raked her nails along his back as she walked round to face him. The look of pure seductress on her face, she stood legs apart and hands on hips. Her killer high heels making her legs look impossibly long. This was a woman to be reckoned with. "What's the matter, the cat got your tongue?"

Alec had felt her as soon as she had entered the room. It sometimes scared him this feeling of simpatico he shared with her. Though, he was sure it had saved his ass from her violent tendencies on a good few occasions. He was worried what she was up to now. Her outfit was a killer, both figure hugging and not too revealing, but the suggestion was all the more tempting. Especially when he had sampled what was inside. He couldn't detect pheromones, so she wasn't in heat. Unconsciously he licked his lips. He was nervous, more nervous than a hardened soldier should ever be. She laughed at the look of confusion on his face. "He needs some convincing." She pouted to their audience. Cindy just shook her head and laughed. She liked that for once Max seemed to be enjoying herself. Max vaulted effortlessly into Alec's lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. "So what was that about my ability to lap dance?"

Max writhed luxuriously on Alec's lap. He still had the stunned mullet look plastered on, but she could see the flickers of desire sparking in his eyes as the shades of colour swirled. She nuzzled against his neck and breathed heavily into his ear. "Looks like I've made my decision. Now you have your chance to rock my world." With a sigh of relief, Alec wrapped his arms round the little bundle of hellcat on his knee. He knew this wouldn't be perfect, but god it would be interesting. He claimed her mouth with an intensity that shocked them both. Twin moans erupting in unison. They were going to need to get out of here soon cause this was no place for a NC17 display.

Watching the two perfect creations enraptured by each other, Logan took the hint. The letter slipped to him by Cindy had softened the blow. He knew he had needed to see it with his own eyes. Well, he wasn't a stupid man. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it coming. He kept his eyes straight as he walked out of Crash. He didn't want to see the pity in the eyes of those that knew the story. Well it looked like he was in the market for a new fairytale. This time his princess would need to be a little less independent, and maybe a little more ordinary.

Fin- for now. Sequel is A Fractured Fairytale 


End file.
